Game balls for sports such as basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, rugby balls, baseballs and softballs are well known. Many game balls, such as basketballs or American-style footballs, typically include an inflatable bladder covered with a layer of windings and encased in a layer of elastomeric material, referred to as the carcass of the ball. One or more additional layers of material, such as a cover or padding may be placed over portions, or all, of the outer surface of the carcass to form the basketball. Covers of game balls are commonly formed of rubber, leather, synthetic leather or a polymeric material. In some football constructions, the bladder is covered with one or more cover panels that are stitched together. A durable backing layer, or a separate lining can be used in place of the layer of windings and the elastomeric material encasing the windings.
Basketballs typically include an arrangement of interconnected channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball. The channels typically are arranged to define eight to twelve cover regions in the outer surface of the basketball. The channels are typically recessed into the outer surface of the basketball, and the channels can facilitate a player's ability to grasp, handle, shoot, pass, dribble and otherwise control the ball during play. Many players, if given the time during play, will rotate the ball in their hands prior to shooting so that they can align one or more of their fingertips with one or more of the channels. Such alignment can facilitate the player's ability to shoot the ball and to impart a spin on the ball upon shooting. Other players rely on or utilize the recessed channels of a basketball to facilitate one-handed grasping, or overall control, of the basketball.
Many football constructions include a first layer of channels typically formed by the stitching together and inverting of a casing or cover formed of two or more cover panels, typically four cover panels. In other constructions, the first set of channels or seams can be formed in a manner similar to the first set of channels on a basketball. A typical football will also include a lacing that is typically positioned at or along one of the first set of channels of the football. The first set of channels on a football also can facilitate the player's ability to grasp, handle, throw and otherwise control the ball during play. In many cases, a player, such as a quarterback may rotate the football before throwing it such that at least one of the quarterback's finger tips rest in one of the channels or seams.
However, because the channels or seams of existing conventional basketballs and footballs are widely spaced apart about the outer surface of the balls, often the timing of play does not afford a player sufficient time to rotate and/or look at the basketball or football to properly align the channels with the player's fingertips in order to facilitate shooting or throwing, control or one-hand grasping of the basketball or football. Accordingly, most shots made by basketball players, and passes by football players, are made without having sufficient time to orientate the channels of the basketball or football with the player's fingertips.
Passing an American football can be difficult to do at an efficient, effective level due to factors such as the skill level of the player, the size of the player, the size of the football, the configuration of the ball and the aerodynamic forces acting upon a thrown football. An American football is a prolate spheroid which when properly thrown will rotate about its longitudinal axis and travel with one end of the football serving as the forward leading end of the football. Air is a fluid comprised of molecules that provide resistance to the movement of the football through the air. This negative or retarding force acting against the thrown football is known as aerodynamic drag.
Aerodynamic forces result whenever there is relative motion between an object and air. When a fluid (such as air) moves or flows over an interface (such as the surface of a football), it exerts less pressure on whatever is around it. When the front of a thrown football contacts air (or an airflow), the air or air flow directly in front of the football is forced to decelerate and even come to a dead stop at the exact center point. This is known as a point of stagnation. This low velocity air in this region exerts relatively high pressure on the front of the football. As the airflow moves around the ball, it accelerates until it reaches a point at the top and bottom of the football where the airflow detaches from the football. This is known as a point of separation. The region behind the point of separation and the football is known as the wake and is full of turbulent eddies with no organized flow. This unorganized flow is highly energized and creates a region of low pressure behind the football. The differential pressure between the high pressure at the front of the football and the low pressure behind the ball creates a net force that retards or inhibits the football's progress through the air. This net force is known as aerodynamic drag.
Thus, a continuing need exists to shorten the time required by a player to locate and orientate the game ball, such as a basketball or football, with his or her fingertips contacting one or more channels in the outer surface of the game ball. Additionally, there is a continuing need for a game ball, such as a basketball or a football, which can be more readily grasped and manipulated by a player with a single hand or with both hands. What is needed is a game ball, such as a basketball or football, that improves the player's ability to easily grasp, handle, pass, shoot, dribble, retain and/or otherwise control the ball during use without radically departing from the ball's traditional design. There is also an ever present need to improve the feel of a game ball, such as a basketball or football, during play. Further, a continuing need also exists to produce a game ball with an improved aesthetic. A continuing need also exists for a football that produces less aerodynamic drag and therefore can be thrown more easily, effectively, at a greater speed and/or for a greater distance.